Bagerhat Correspondent :
“PahelaBaishak”, the first day of Bengali New Year 1431 was celebrated in Bagerhat district town and its all the nine Upazilas with enthusiasm, fanfare and traditional festivities on Sunday. The New Year’s celebration was held on large scale basis as well as with much traditional gaiety as the “Mongol Shovajatra (the welcoming of Bangla New year with the desire for peace to get rid of worries) earned UNESCO recognition as world heritage in the year of 2017.
Earlier the district and Upazila administrations and different socio-cultural and political organizations chalked out different elaborate progmmes to celebrate the day in a befitting manner.
In Bagerhat district town the day’s programme started with a Barsha Baran Shovajatra that started from Bagerhat Central Shahid Minar premises at 8-30 am and ended at Local Zila Parishad community centre premises after parading the main roads of the district town. It was led by Mohammad Khlid Hossain, DC, Bagerhat. The Shova Jatra was attended by all walks of people irrespective of ages and sexes carrying various banners, placards and festoons welcoming the Bangla New Year.
After the end of the Shova JatraMomammad Khalid Hossain, DC, Bagerhat ceremonially inaugurated a week-long Baishakhi Mela in the local Zila Parishad auditorium premises as the chief guest in presence of large number of juvenile crowds. A good number of stalls sprung around the fair.
Businessmen of hats and Bazars (market places), groceries, sales centers and important places in both rural and Urbana areas opened their traditional Hal Khatas (new account books) ceremonially and distributed sweets and seasonal fruits among the customers (Khariddars) hoping a good business in the new Bangala year.
Other highlights of the day’s programme were discussions, eating of Pantha with dried hilsa fish and green chillis, distribution of improved diets among the prisoners in jail, patients in hospitals and the orphans in the orphanages, fancy games, cultural shows etc.
